Planfile cupboard



April 16, 1940. c. B. ULRICH PLANFILE CUPBOARD .Filed Dec. 22, 19:8

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

April 1940- c. B. ULRICH 2,197,355

PLANFILE CUPBOARD Filed Dec. 22, 193B 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (bar/e5 5. BY A/S M I; M

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 15, 1940 UNITED STATES tartar mm Charles B. Ulrich, Jamestown, NY. Application December 22, 1938, Serial No, 247,137

r Claims.

My invention comprises a cupboard construction having a front opening provided with a suitable movable closure, for example, doors or a sliding shutter, to contain in filed and orderly s arrangement, large drawings, data sheets, and

' similar sheet memoranda and records, supported in vertical position by a folding framework forming an important part of my invention.

The supporting framework referred to includes 'l substantially parallel legs pivotally supported at their lower ends in the lower portion of the cupboard, substantially parallel rack bars pivotally connected at their mid-portions with the upper end portions of said legs respectively, substan tially horizontal cross bars having their end portions in supporting engagement with said rack bars and suspending the filed sheet material between said rack bars, and retaining members pivotally supported in the upper portion of the cupboard and having sliding connection with the upper endportions of said rack bars, the parts being so constructed, supported and related as to form a folding framework having a first or closed position holding the filed sheets in closely 2::1 associated relation in the cupboard and against the back wall thereof, for which position the doors or other frontclosure of the cupboard may be closed to completely enclose and protect the framework and filed sheet material, said framers work having also a second or opened position to which it may be moved after the front closure of the cupboard is opened, for which second position'the upper portions of the framework legs are spaced from the back of the cupboard and 11: incline outwardly, and the rack bars are outside of said cupboard and are substantially inclined to the-back wall of the cupboard to so space the cross bars from each other that any selected cross bar may be readily moved upwardly'from a engagement with the rack bars and the filed sheets supported by the selected cross bar may be moved froro. between adjacent files of sheets supported by the rack bars, without hindrance of any kind and without disturbing the adjacent files ofxsheets in any way, the opened position of the folding framework also permitting the insertion with equal facility of an intermediate file of sheets between files of sheets adjacent thereto.

To effect the results described, the rack bars b ef the framework are preferably provided with ertically extending flanges having spaced notches for receiving the end portions of the bars, the spacing of said notches sufficiently spacing said cross bars for the opened to position of said framework, to permit the ready removal and insertion of selected ones of the files of sheets as described. In addition, the end portions of the cross bars are preferably provided with lower edge notches for engaging the notches in the flanges on'the rack bars, so that when a cross bar is supported on the rack bars, it is restrained from movement longitudinally and laterally relatively to the rack bars, and it is also held in substantially vertical position when the framework is in opened position, without in any way interferingwith the ready removal of the cross bar from the rack bars and the ready placing of the cross bar on therack bars.

The framework legs and rack bars are preferably connected with the ends of hinged links for positively holding the framework in its opened position, so that it cannot be accidentally moved to closed position when in use to supply or receive desired files, it being necessary'to fold said links before the framework can be movedto its closed position. The framework is also preferably providedwith count'erbalancing devices, for example, suitable spring mechanism for sustaining a substantial part of the outward turning movement. of the framework and its load when in-opened position, which materially reduces the effort required to move the loaded framework from opened to closed position, which counterbalancing deviceahowever, are preferably constructed so as to not increase in'any way the effort required to move the loaded framework from closed to open position. The parts described are'preferably so related that Without the application of any additional force, the weight of the frame-' work and the files supported thereby, with the framework in its closed position, tendsa'ppreciably to retain the framework in said position, without, however," requiring a large amount of force to move said loaded framework from its closed position. I

The framework described is preferably provided with a compression plate or plates for holding the filed-sheets towards the back of the cupboard when the framework is in its closed position, sothat the filed sheets cannotinterfere with "closing the cupboard. The cross bars are preferably provided with clamping bars for securing filed sheets, as desired, to the cross bars, sothat each cross bar may carry sheets pertainto aspecific subject matter, the indication of which is facilitated by a card holder of novel. construction carried by the cross bar. The cupboard is preferably" provided with humidifying devices for maintaining an atmosphere of desired humidity in. the cupboard when closed, to

prevent the drying out of tracing paper sheets and the like that may be filed in the cupboard, and so prevent said sheets from becoming brittle.

The cupboard described thus provides a simple, inexpensive and efiective construction for filing large sheets such as blueprints, tracings, and any similar large sheets, in vertical arrangement and in such a manner that the cupboard may be of much less depth from front to rear than the over-all front to rear dimensions of the filed sheets when the file is opened for use, nearly the entirexdepth of the cupboard being available for filed sheets in compressed condition for the closed condition of the file. The filing cupboard is particularly adapted for field ofiices of engineering projects where many sets of plans and specifications are required, any of which must be instantly available, and which may be frequently required for use, since sheets of any size, whether large or small as long as they are within the capacity of the file, may be filed therein with equal effectiveness.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, in which Fig. 1 shows my improved filing cupboard in front elevation and in closed condition, a portion of the front closure of the cupboard being broken away to show the contents thereof,

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view of the filing cupboard taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the filing mechanism in its opened condition,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view to an enlarged scale, of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 3, taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional View of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 4, taken along the line 5--5 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 shows in front elevation, a modified construction of compression plates for the filing mechanism, and

Fig. 7 is a vertical, sectional view of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 6, taken along the line 7-1 in Fig. 6.

Similar numerals refer to throughout the several views.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the cupboard I0 is provided with fixed top, bottom, back and side walls, and as shown in Fig. 1, with doors II and I2, hinged together at I2a, the door being hinged to one of the cupboard side walls at Ila, and also-with doors I3 and I4 hinged together at I3a, the door It being hinged to the other of the cupboard side walls in the same manner as shown for the door II, but broken away in Fig. 1 to more clearly show the contents of the cupboard. The doors I2, I3 and I4 thus constitute a closure for the front of the cupboard to protect the filed contents when the doors are closed.

The doors I|, I2 and I3 carry locking knobs l5, I6 and I! respectively, the knob I5 being connected with bolts |5a and I5!) for locking the door H in closed condition,the knob I1 being connected with bolts Fla and I'll) for looksimilar parts ing the doors I3 and I4 in closed condition, and

the knob IS being connected with bolts lfia and |6b to hold the door I 2 in closed condition against the adjacent edge of the door I3. The multiple door construction described, reduces the clearance space required by the doors in their opened condition, to a minimum.

.As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a leg I8 is pivotally connected at H! at its lower end to a bracket member 20 secured to the front portion of the bottom of the cupboard adjacent one side wall thereof. A second and similar leg 2| is similarly supported adjacent the other side wall of the cupboard (Fig. 1). As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the leg I8 is pivotally connected at its upper end portion at 22 with the mid-portion of a rack bar 23, the leg 2| being similarly connected at 24, as shown in Fig. 1, with the mid-portion of a second rack bar 25 similar to the rack bar 23. The upper end portions of the rack bars 23 and 25 are provided with studs 26 and 21 mounted for sliding movement in slots in links 28 and 29 pivotally supported at their upper ends by brackets 33 and 3| carried by the top wall of the casing. In Figs. 2 and 3, the slot in the link 28 is shown at 28a, and its pivotal connection with its supporting bracket 30 is shown at 30a.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the lower portion of the rack bar 23 is connected with the leg I8 by a hinged link 32 comprising pivotally connected members which for their position in line with each other as shown in Fig. 3, hold the lower portion of the rack bar outwardly and considerably in front of the corresponding portion of the leg l8 for the opened condition of the filing devices, whereas, with said link members in folded condition as shown for the closed condition of the filing devices in Fig. 2, the lower portion of the rack bar 23 is substantially back of the corresponding portion of the leg I8. As indicated in Fig. 1, the rack bar 25 and the leg 2| are similarly connected by a similar hinged link 3211. The rack bars Hand 25 are provideld with handles 33 and 34 respectively, for moving the rack bars into and from the cupboard. The upper end portions of the rack bars are preferably rigidly connected by a cross-member 35 to facilitate moving said rack bars as a unit.

When the rack bars 23 and 25 are moved from their closed position shown in Fig. '2 to their opened position shown in Fig. 3, the studs 26 and 2? slide in the slotted links 28 and 29 until outward movement of the upper ends of said rack bars is stopped by said links, and at the same time, the legs l8 and 2| swing outwardly and the lower portions of the rack bars move from behind to in front of said legs, which movement continues until the hinged links 32 and 32a assume their straight condition which limits and stops said outward movement, and the rack bars are positively held in the inclined position illustrated in Fig. 3, against the tendency of the load carried by the rack bars as below described, to

move said rack bars and said legs further'out from the cupboard. The parts described are preferably so proportioned that for the opened position of the mechanism, the upper ends of the rack bars are just inside of the cupboard, the upper ends of the legs are just outside of the cupboard, and the lower ends of the rack bars are a substantial distance in'front of the cupboard, thereby imparting to the rack bars a pro nounced inclination and correspondingly separating the filed matter carried by the rack bars as below described, for ready insertion and removal of desired files. In moving the rack bars 23 and 25 to their closed position illustrated in Fig. 2, the hinged links 32 and 32a are raised at their mid-portions and the rack bars are pushed back into the cupboard by pressure on the handles 33 and 34, which moves the studs 26 and 21 in the links 28 and 29 and swings the rack bars on the legs l8 and 2|, at the same time swinging said legs towards the back of the.

cupboard, which movement is limited andstopped by the pressing of the filed material against .the

back wall of the cupboard, by the weight of said filed material, since the legs now incline somewhat towards the back of the cupboard as illu s trated in Fig. 2, the rack bars now being in'vertical position or nearly so, depending upon the quantity and distribution of filed material .car-

ried by said rack bars.

In moving the rack bars 23 and 25 to their opened position shown in Fig; 3, a substantial part of the weight carried by the legs l8 and 2|, which tends to move the legs outwardly after they pass their vertical position, is counterbalanced by that when the leg I8 is vertical, there isprac tically no tension on the spring 36, and that when the leg I8 is in its position shown-in Fig. 3, the tension on the spring 36 and on its mate similarly proportioned and connected with the rack bar 25, is not quite equal to'theforces on the lower portions of the rack bars tending to move the same outwardly from the cupboard, for a moderately loaded condition of the rack bars. "In this way, rapid and abrupt'mover'nent of the rack,

bars to their opened position is checked, and the effort required to move the rack-bars to their closed position ismaterially reduced.

I'he filed material is supported on cross bars- 35 which as shown to an enlarged scale in Figs. 4 and 5 for one of said cross bars, are preferably of Z-shaped cross-section.

ably of channel cross-section opening inwardly and provided at their inner upper edges with upwardly extending flanges 23a and 25a; respectively, having upwardly opening notches 23b and 25b which are inclined towards the upper ends of the rack bars. The Crossbars 39. have their lower flanges and web portions "cut away to clear and, lie between the rack bars, and the upper flanges of said cross bars are extended over the flanges 23a, and 25a and are provided with lower notches 38a to engage said flanges 23a and'25a when the adjacent end portions of said .oross bars are in selected ones of the notches 23band 25b which are proportioned to support the lower edges of said end portions above the channel portions or" the rack bars and to prevent substantial turning movement of thecross barsin said notches. A group of filed sheets 40, is secured to the lower flange of each cross bar 39 by a clamping bar 4! and clamping screws $2 by means of thumb nuts 43 on said screws, so that the cross bar constitutes a substantial upperedge binder for the group of sheets 40', and also a means for suspending the filed sheets between the rack bars.

The notches 23b and 2% are similarly spaced from each other, the spacing being sufiicient so that when the rack bars are in their opened position shown in Fig. 3, any selectedcross bar 39 and its attached group of filed sheets may be readily lifted from between adjacent cross barsand the attached groups of filed sheets carried thereby, for any desired use, and that the As shown in- Figs. 4 and 5, the rack bars 23 and 25 are. prefer removed cross bar and sheets may readily be replaced in, the file when desired.

The device described thus provides a convenient for housing said groups of filed sheets in compact condition in an entirelyenclosed cupboard when it is not desired to use the filed sheets.

For convenient classification of the filed groups of sheets, each cross bar 39 may be provided, if desired, with a removable card carrier 44 held in place as indicated in. Figs. 4 and 5, by one of the screws 42.

To aid in holding the groups of filed sheets in compact condition forthe closed position of the file, I preferably hinge a fiate plate 45 on a horizontal rod 46 supported at its ends by the lower end portions of the rack bars 23 and 25,

which lower end portions are provided with fiat springs 47 and 48 which press the plate against the lower portions of the filed sheets for the closed position of the file. l v

In Figs. 6 and 7 I illustrate a modified construction for compressing the filed sheets in the cupboard H3, consisting of a cross rod 46a rigidly secured to the lower 'end portions of the rack bars by set-screws, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 for the rack bar 23 and the set screw 49. The rod 45a loosely supports flat strips 50, 50, of suitable material, forexample, sheet metal, preferably in pairs, which are held in desired locations on the rod by collarsbi, iii. Between each pair of strips 59, a collar 52 is rigidly secured to the rod 46a, which collar has an extending lug 52a, to

which a fiat spring 53 is secured, said spring having laterally extending portions 53w pressing against the outer surfaces of the strips "50 when I preferably provide the cupboard l0 with hurnidifying devices comprising a pad 54 of absorbent material removably supported under the top wall of the cupboard by a bracket 55. By wetting the pad 54, the air in the cupboard is maintained in moist condition when the cupboard is closed, therebypreventing the filed papers from drying and cracking, which is an advantage in dry weather or climates, particularly where tracing paper or other sheets are filed in the cupboard, that become brittle when dried out. p

.In practice, it'is generally advisable to use a plurality of filing cupboards embodying the invention, to accommodate large quantities of drawings, papers and/or documents, in which cases I find it convenient to arrange the cupboards back'to back, and to secure the adjacent cupboard backs together, for example, by bolts, so that the cupboards so secured together will mutually stabilize each other and prevent the cupboards from tipping forward when in opened position, particularly when they are of large size and heavily loaded. In other-oases, where it is preferable to back the cupboard or cupboards against a wall, they may be secured thereto, for example,- by bolts or screws through their back walls, and in still other cases where it is preferred to arrange the cupboards in separated relation away from a wall, they may be given stawalls, or if preferred any other means may be employed to impart stability against tipping, to

said cupboards.

It will be understood that the cupboards described may be of any size required to file the papers and the like that are to be contained in said cupboards. In practice it is not unusual, for example, for the cupboards to be from six feet to seven feet high and of any width required by the maximum width of the papers and the like to be filed in said cupboards. In such cases, a cupboard and its contents may weigh many hundreds of pounds, which clearly indicates the desirability of securely anchoring the cupboards in upright position. Each of the files of papers and the like, is preferably provided with front and back cover sheets of strong and tough flexible sheet material, such as tagboard or the like, to protect the filed sheets and to facilitate drawing any desired file from between adjacent files and to facilitateinserting a file between adjacent files, said cover sheets preferably being as large as or a little larger than the largest sheets of material to be filed in the cupboard.

An important advantage resulting from the use of pressure plates as described, or their equivalent, is that for the closed position of the cup-' board, the filed sheets are pressed tightly against each other and against the back wall of the cupboard, thereby expelling substantially all of the air from between the filed sheets, which prevents drying out of the filed sheets and correspondingly prevents their deterioration.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment above described, I do not limit myself thereto, as I may employ equivalents thereof without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a filing device, the combination of a cupboard having back, side, top and bottom walls and a door structure for closing said cupboard, legs pivotally supported at their lower ends in the lower part of said cupboard near the side walls thereof for movement from, and into said cupboard, rack bars pivotally connected at their mid-portions with the upper ends of said legs, slotted links pivotally supported in the upper portion of said cupboard and connected with the upper ends of said rack bars, cross bars engaging at their ends said rack bars to support filed material, and hinged links connecting the lower portions of said rack bars with said legs, whereby said rack bars have opened and inclined positions for using the filing device and closed and vertical positions adjacent the back wall of said cupboard to close the latter.

2. In a filing device, the combination of a cupboard having back, side, top and bottom walls and a door structure for closing said cupboard, legs pivotally supported at their lower ends in the lower part of said cupboard near the side walls thereof for movement from and into said cupboard, rack bars pivotally connected at their mid-portions with the upper ends of said legs, slotted links pivotally supported in the upper portion of said cupboard and connected with the upper ends of said rack bars, cross bars engaging at their ends said rack bars to support filed material, and hinged links connecting the lower portions of said rack bars with said legs, whereby said rack bars have opened and inclined positions for using the filing device, and closed and.

vertical positions adjacent the back wall of said cupboard to close the latter, said rack bars having upwardly opening spaced notches and said cross bars having downwardly opening end notches engaging selected ones of said rack bar notches and facilitating the removal and insertion of desired ones of said cross bars and the sheets carried thereby for the opened position of said rack bars.

3. In a filing device, the combination of a cupboard having back, side, top and bottom walls and a door structure for closing said cupboard, legs pivotally supported at their lower ends in the lower part of said cupboard near the side walls thereof for movement from and into said cupboard, rack bars pivotally connected at their mid-portions with the upper ends of said legs, slotted links pivotally supported in the upper portion of said cupboard and connected with the upper ends of said rack bars, cross bars engaging at their ends said rack bars to support filed material, hinged links connecting the lower portions of said rack bars with said legs, whereby said rack bars have opened and inclined positions for using the filing device and closedand vertical positions adjacent the back wall of said cupboard to close the latter, and means oounterbalancing in part the outward thrust on said legs when said rack bars are in their opened position and produced by the weight carried by said legs.

4. In a filing device, the combination of a cupboard having back, side, top and bottom walls and a door structure for closing said cupboard, legs pivotally supported at their. lower ends in the lower part ofsaid cupboard near the side walls thereof for movement from and into said cupboard, rack bars pivotally connected at their midportions with the upper ends of said legs, slotted links pivotally supported in the upper portion of said cupboard and connected with the upper ends or said rack bars, cross bars engaging at their ends said rack bars to support filed material, hinged links connecting the lower portions of said rack bars with said legs, whereby said rack bars have opened and inclined positions for using the filing device and closed and vertical positions adjacent the back wall of said cupboard'to close the latter, and springs connected with said rack bars and with said cupboard and tending to move said rack bars from their opened position towards said cupboard.

5. In a filing device, the combination of a cupboard having back, side, top and bottom walls and a door structure for closing said cupboard, legs pivotally supported at their lower ends in the lower part of said cupboard near the side walls thereof for movement from and into said cupboard, rack bars pivotally connected at their midportions with the upper ends of said legs, slotted links pivotally supported in the upper portion of said cupboard and connected with the upper ends of said rack bars, cross bars engaging at their ends said rack bars to support filed material, hinged links connecting the lower portions of said rack bars with said legs, whereby said rack bars have opened and inclined positions for using the filing device and closed and vertical positions adjacent the back wall of said cupboard to close the latter, and springs tending to move said legs from their opened position to their mid-position against the action of a part of the weight on said legs, said springs being inefiective from the midposition of said legs to their closed position.

6. In a filing device, the combination of a cupboard having back, side, top and bottom walls and a door structure for closing said cupboard,

cross bars for supporting filed sheets, movabie mechanism supporting said cross bars in spaced relation for movement from, closed position in said cupboard to opened position outside of said tion of said movable mechanism,

, v 5 bars for supporting filed sheets, movable mechanism supporting saidcross bars inspaced relation for movement from closed position in said cupboard to opened'po'sition outside of said cup-- board and holding said cross bars in theiropened position, and spring means tending to'move said movable mechanism from its opened position to its mid-position said spring means being ineffective from the mid-position to the closed, posi- CHARLES B. mica 

